Social policies

QUIZ 4/23

What does Local government control?

controls city and county services such as public meetings, local ordinances, parks, and county-level programs.

What does State government control?

controls Medicaid eligibility and reimbursement rates, education funding, child welfare, mental health services, and criminal justice reform

What does Federal government control?

controls Medicare, Medicaid funding, immigration policy, Social Security, national mental health funding, and federal student loans.

What programs are regulated at the state level?

Programs regulated: Medicaid eligibility rules, behavioral health provider licensing, and community mental health center funding.

How does Wyoming currently handle Medicaid?

Wyoming has not fully expanded Medicaid. Certain groups qualify, including children, pregnant women, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income parents, due to concerns about targeting the “truly needy,” private insurance disruption, and long-term state costs.

What programs are regulated at the Federal level?

Programs regulated: Medicare, Social Security, immigration, national mental health funding.

How does the medical model define the “problem” of disability?

The person is disabled by the abnormalities and deficits of their own body and/or brain, and needs to be treated or cured. The problem is located within the individual.

How does the social model define the “problem” of disability?

The person is disabled by their environment and its physical, attitudinal, communication, and social. Problem is located within society

What are the major U.S. policies that protect people with disabilities and older adults, and what does each one do?

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, public services, and accommodations; requires accessibility.

Older Americans Act (OAA): Provides services for adults 60 and older including nutrition programs, in-home care, and caregiver support.

Social Security Act: Established federal social insurance providing retirement benefits, disability insurance, and the foundation for welfare programs.

Medicaid & Medicare: Medicaid covers health costs for low-income individuals; Medicare provides health insurance for adults 65 and older and certain people with disabilities.

What are the five social determinants covered in this course?

Income

Housing

Transportation

Access to healthcare

Social isolation

What is The Administration for Community Living (ACL) mission? Programs and services?

To maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older adults, people with disabilities, and their families and caregivers

programs and services:

In-home support services

Nutrition programs for older adults

Centers for Independent Living

Caregiver support programs

Disability rights initiatives

What systems and environments does the Person-in-Environment (PIE) perspective consider?

Social systems, economic conditions, political structures, and physical/environmental surroundings that shape a person’s life and well-being.

How does the Person-in-Environment perspective differ from approaches that focus only on the individual?

It recognizes that problems are not just caused by individual traits or choices, but are shaped by larger systems and environments, so solutions must address those systems as well.

How does the Person-in-Environment perspective connect to environmental and social justice issues?

Environmental issues like wildfires, drought, and pollution affect communities—especially vulnerable ones—and can worsen problems like displacement, poverty, and mental health challenges.

When did social work begin incorporating an environmental lens?

Beginning in the 1990s, social work authors expanded the ecological model to include environmental issues.

What unique skills do social workers bring to environmental issues?

Working across disciplines, applying ethical reasoning, implementing community-based solutions, understanding equity and justice, communicating across professions, and building local partnerships.

How do environmental changes affect vulnerable populations differently?

Low-income and rural communities face higher exposure to environmental risks, and vulnerable groups (older adults, people with disabilities, and those without stable housing) have fewer resources to adapt to issues like extreme heat, wildfires, and drought.

How does income create barriers to health and well-being?

Low income restricts access to food, safe housing, and healthcare, increasing the risk of poor health outcomes.

How does unstable or unsafe housing create barriers to health and well-being?

increases exposure to stress, toxins, and injury.

How does transportation create barriers to health and well-being?

Lack of reliable transportation limits access to healthcare, employment, and healthy food, especially in rural areas like Wyoming.

How does limited access to healthcare create barriers to health and well-being?

Limited access leads to delayed treatment, worsening conditions, and higher long-term costs.

How does social isolation create barriers to health and well-being?

Social isolation is linked to depression, cognitive decline, and higher mortality rates.

Who is a key figure in the Settlement House Movement and what did she do? What did they do and who did thery serve?

Jane Addams founded Hull House in Chicago in 1889 and is considered a founder of social work (The Progressive Era, approximately the 1880s–1920s).

They were community centers in poor urban immigrant neighborhoods that provided education, childcare, healthcare, job training, and advocacy services.

How does the Settlement House Movement connect to modern social work practice?

It established the foundation for combining direct services with systemic advocacy, such as policy work and social reform, which remains central to social work today.

What are effective ways to contact a legislator?

Email, phone calls, public comment during meetings, and in-person meetings

What do local representatives handle?

Handles city and county issues such as local services, ordinances, and community-level programs.

What do state representatives handle?

Handles state-level policies such as Medicaid, education funding, child welfare, and mental health services.

What do federal representatives handle?

Handles national programs such as Medicare, Social Security, immigration policy, and federal funding for major services.

Why does a personal story matter alongside data and facts?

A personal story humanizes the issue, creates an emotional connection, and makes your message memorable and compelling in a way that statistics alone cannot.

What key elements should always be included in an advocacy message?

• The specific bill number you are referencing

• A clear statement of whether you support or oppose the bill

• A personal and powerful story that illustrates the real-world impact of the issue

• Key talking points supported by data

What is the role of committees in the legislative process?

Committees review and shape legislation before it goes to a full vote. They determine what bills move forward.

What does grassroots advocacy look like in practice?

Organizing community members, attending public meetings, writing to legislators, sharing personal stories, collecting data, filing public comments, and building coalitions.

Who needs to be involved for grassroots advocacy to be effective?

Clients (with permission), community members, social workers, advocacy organizations, and others affected by the issue, because legislators respond to broad constituent voices.

What does a bill analysis assess?

The social, economic, and political impact of legislation — what the bill may accomplish, who it affects, and what its potential consequences are for vulnerable populations.

How does understanding a bill help a social worker advocate more effectively?

Knowing the specific bill number, its contents, and its potential impact allows a social worker to speak precisely about the legislation, take a clear position, and explain exactly what they are asking the legislator to do.

What is Head Start (social welfare program) and who does it serve?

Head Start is a social welfare program that provides early childhood education, health, and nutrition services for low-income children ages 0–5 and their families.

What is SNAP (social welfare program) and who does it serve?

SNAP is a social welfare program that provides monthly food benefits to low-income individuals and families to reduce food insecurity.

What is Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (social welfare program) and who does it serve?

SSI is a social welfare program that provides monthly cash assistance to aged, blind, or disabled individuals with very limited income.

What is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) (social welfare program) and who does it serve?

EITC is a social welfare program that provides a refundable tax credit for low- to moderate-income working individuals and families to increase take-home income.

What is the Child Tax Credit (CTC) (social welfare program) and who does it serve?

CTC is a social welfare program that provides tax relief to families with children to reduce poverty and support child development.

How do social welfare programs connect to the social determinants of health?

Social welfare programs address needs like food, housing, income, and education, which directly shape health and long-term well-being.

SNAP. SSI, EITC, CTC

Micro social work

Direct practice with individuals and families — counseling, crisis intervention, case management.

Mezzo social work

Practice with groups and organizations — group therapy, community programs, organizational leadership.

Macro social work

Systems-level practice — policy advocacy, community organizing, legislative change.

What does crisis intervention look like at the micro level?

Ensuring safety and shelter, validating emotions, using grounding techniques, assessing safety, identifying needs and strengths, connecting to resources, and planning next steps with the client.

How do micro, mezzo, and macro concepts come together in social work practice?

They intersect in cases where direct client work connects to larger systems, showing that individual needs are shaped by policy, community structures, and social conditions, making micro care and macro advocacy interconnected.

How can a single client’s situation expose a broader community or policy problem?

When multiple clients face the same barrier (like lack of transportation to mental health care), it reveals a systemic issue that requires policy change, not just individual intervention.

How does micro practice create the evidence base for macro advocacy?

Client interactions reveal system barriers and gaps, which social workers use to inform legislators, community forums, and policy advocacy efforts.

What is the first step at the micro level when working with a client in a case scenario?

Ensure immediate safety and basic needs are met (such as shelter and crisis stabilization), then assess the situation, validate emotions, and connect the client to appropriate resources.

How do the Settlement House Movement and the social model of disability shape social work practice in a case scenario?

Emphasize addressing both individual needs and systemic barriers. The Settlement House Movement supports combining direct service with advocacy, while the social model of disability focuses on removing societal barriers rather than “fixing” the individual, guiding social workers to pursue both client support and systemic change.

What human rights issues might a client face in social work practice?

Clients may face lack of access to healthcare, safe housing, food security, education, disability rights, safety from harm, and fair treatment within systems like healthcare, welfare, and criminal justice.

What is Medicaid (social welfare program) and who does it serve?

is a social welfare program that provides health insurance coverage for low-income individuals and families, including children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities.

What is Medicare (social welfare program) and who does it serve?

is a federal social welfare program that provides health insurance primarily for people aged 65+, as well as some younger people with disabilities or specific medical conditions.

How might barriers to health and well-being look different in rural communities?

Rural communities often face limited providers and long travel distances, which restrict access to healthcare and daily needs, leading to policy solutions like telehealth expansion and workforce incentives

How is funding for mental health, disability rights, and transportation typically divided across levels of government?

Mental health services are primarily funded at the state level, the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is federally funded and enforced, and transportation is funded at both local and state levels.

How do you identify the right level of government for a given issue?

Determine who controls the policy. State issues (like Medicaid and mental health funding) go to state legislators, federal issues (like Social Security and immigration) go to federal representatives, and local issues go to city or county officials.